Where to Go Glamping in the Most Sustainable Cities

Why not choose your next glamping getaway by supporting one of the cities named to the 2025 Greenest Cities in America list? These cities are known for increasing green spaces, supporting local green initiatives, offering eco-conscious tourism and in general, doing their part to make a difference. WalletHub named 100 cities on the list, and these are a few to consider on your next glamping trip: 

Thousand Trails Pio Pico
Thousand Trails Pio Pico

San Diego comes in at #1. From banning plastic bags to having 43% of their electricity come from renewable sources, San Diego knows it is cool to be green. In fact, according to WalletHub, San Diego’s green energy helps keep it from being an excessively hot city environment. One great thing about San Diego is that the trolley system can take you all around the city and beyond (for routes, visit sdmts.com/transit-services/trolley). For green spaces to visit, consider Balboa Park, the 1200-acre public park that houses the San Diego Zoo, plus museums, gardens and walking trails. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is considered “a wilderness island in an urban sea” featuring miles and miles of unspoiled beaches and wild landscapes which are home to many species of migrating birds. Book a glamping stay at Thousand Trails Oakzanita Springs or Thousand Trails Pio Pico

Yurts at Thousand Trails Thunderbird
Yurts at Thousand Trails Thunderbird

Seattle, Washington makes the top 10 at #6. With initiatives like food scrap collection, food waste reduction as well as extensive parks and green spaces, Seattle is pretty, pretty green. Book a glamping cabin or yurt at Thousand Trails Thunderbird and explore the aptly named Emerald City. Green space tourist options include Olympic Sculpture Park, located on the waterfront overlooking the Salish Sea or Gas Works Park, a 19+ acres park built on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant. Of course, Pike Place Market with its abundance of fresh produce and flowers is a great spot to visit. Continuously operating since 1907, this market really knows how to do it from the flying fish show at the fish market to the incredible views of Puget Sound, this is another list maker when in Seattle.  

Glamping Cabin at Thousand Trails Natchez Trace
Tiny house at Thousand Trails Natchez Trace

Nashville makes the list thanks to its greenways systems and renewable energy and sustainability initiatives. With over 100 miles of paved greenways trails, it’s easy to explore Nashville and its neighborhoods by biking or walking. The city’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is a 19-acre urban park in downtown Nashville that features fountains, walkways and rows of tulip poplars, Tennessee’s state tree. Another urban park, Centennial Park offers 130 acres of green space plus a stunning replica of the Parthenon, which is a nod to the city’s nickname, The Athens of the South, due to its many universities and colleges. Another outdoor option is Old Hickory Lake, a 22,500- acre reservoir on the Cumberland River with fishing, swimming, hiking and boating opportunities. Book a glamping stay at the Natchez Trace Tiny House Village.

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Four Glamping Trips to Help You Spring into Summer

Glamping is great any time of year, but there is something about a summer glamping trip that checks all the boxes. The weather is nice, festivals are in full swing, beaches are open, hiking and biking trails tend to be drier, and flora and fauna are everywhere. Here are some great summer glamping ideas:

Cabin at Carolina Shores RV Resort
Cabin at Carolina Shores RV Resort

Coastal Summer: Feeling the warm ocean breeze, walking miles of beaches, and hearing the sound of the ocean is an ideal way to spend summer. Coastal cities to consider when glamping include Miami with a glamping accommodation at Encore Miami Everglades; Bar Harbor, Maine with a glamping accommodation at Mt. Desert Narrows Camping Resort or Narrows Too Camping Resort; Carolina Shores RV Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or Oregon’s Thousand Trails Whalers Rest which is located just 150 yards from the Pacific Ocean!

Cabins at Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes
Cabins at Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes

Theme Park Summer: Before you say “oh no, too crowded” take note that we are not talking about the major themes but instead the still fun, smaller ones like Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California (book a stay at Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes); Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark (book a stay at Thousand Trails Hershey) or New Jersey’s Storybook Land (book a stay at Thousand Trails Sea Pines).

Cabin at Thousand Trails Pio Pico RV Campground
Cabin at Thousand Trails Pio Pico RV Campground

Festival Summer: Nothing says summer like a good festival whether it’s for food, music or just plain fun. San Diego welcomes Comic-Con July 24-27 (glamp at Thousand Trails Pio Pico); Maine’s Lobster Festival is scheduled for July 30-August 3 (stay at Thousand Trails Moody Beach); while the Washington State International Kite Festival in Long Beach is set for August 18-24 (stay at Thousand Trails Long Beach).

Whitewater Summer: If you’re looking for a great water adventure, consider a whitewater rafting expedition on some of these waters near our glamping locations: Book a stay at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes and take to the Tuolumne River; glamp at Lake George Escape Campground and whitewater raft on the nearby Sacandaga River, a tributary of the Hudson River; or take on the Vermillion River in Illinois while glamping at O’Connell’s RV Campground.

Cabin Rentals at O'Connell's RV Campground
Cabin Rentals at O’Connell’s RV Campground

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